


The Smell of Lies

by ProtoNeoRomantic



Series: Patch Works [2]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen, High School, Interrogation, Lies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-03
Updated: 2014-03-03
Packaged: 2018-01-14 09:35:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1261528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProtoNeoRomantic/pseuds/ProtoNeoRomantic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snyder interrogates Buffy until everything starts to fall into place.  Of course, that place is no where near this place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Smell of Lies

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Lady's Choice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1223416) by [ProtoNeoRomantic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProtoNeoRomantic/pseuds/ProtoNeoRomantic). 



By the time Buffy arrived at the scene of...whatever it had been the scene of, the crowd was starting to disburse. Pointed looks in her direction were notable by their absence. The student body seemed to have found something more interesting to talk about. This time they weren’t whispering, but there were too many conversations happening at once for her to overhear any one of them.

Rounding a corner, she was stopped in her tracks by the sight of Xander, up against a wall, flanked by two uniformed cops. It took her a moment to realize that they were not handcuffing but un-handcuffing him. Before she had time to fully process what she was seeing, she heard an unpleasantly familiar voice behind her.

“Buffy Summers,” Snyder said, making the very name an accusation.

Buffy turned and looked at him, saying nothing.

“The very juvenile delinquent I want to see,” he went on. “In my office. Now.”

Whatever it was, Buffy told herself, it couldn’t be any worse than going to sixth period. Xander hadn’t actually been arrested, and that was a good. As she followed Snyder back down the hallway, she looked over her shoulder.

Xander was moving off in the opposite direct, the way she had been going, towards the nurse’s office, holding his right hand in his left. As the police backed off and went their own way, kids were coming up to Xander excitedly, pumping him for information. A fight then? Bad enough to call the police to school, but not bad enough to get arrested? She hadn’t known there was such a category.

When they got to Snyder’s office, he shut the door and glared at her. He was a strange combination of smug and seething. Smeething? “I suppose you know why I invited you here?” he demanded.

Buffy noted his interesting take on the concept of an invitation, but she had no idea what was going on and she said so.

“Rumors,” he said quietly, intensely. “Scandalous, scurrilous lies are disturbing the peace and order of this campus, and, as always, your name seems to be at the center of everything.”

“So why don’t you talk to the liars,” she said definitely, “instead of the people being lied about.” Her hatred of Snyder and the indignity she had been suffering all afternoon helped her to hang on to her anger even though she knew what she was saying was the opposite of the truth. If Xander had hurt himself, or someone else, defending her honor... big, big remorse.

“Don’t you tell me how to do my job Missy!” Snyder snarled back. “Daniel Osborne, I believe you know him as Oz.” Snyder said matter-of-factly after only a slight pause.

“Yeah,” said Buffy, “you know I do.” She was more puzzled than annoyed.

“Have you ever known him to carry a gun?”

“Of course not,” said Buffy automatically.

“Exactly!” said Snyder triumphantly.

“I think I slept through the first half of this conversation,” Buffy said.

“Lies,” Snyder said meditatively. “They’re everywhere.” “Willow Rosenberg!” he barked suddenly, banging his hand on his desk for emphasis.

Buffy raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. He stared at her expectantly. “Shall I hear more or shall I speak at this?” she said dryly. The interrogation was so bizarre and dislocating, that it seemed nothing she could say would be in or out of place.

“Ah, now we’re getting somewhere,” he murmured waving a finger in her general direction. If so, Buffy had no idea where.

The intercom buzzed. Snyder put it through. “Principal Snyder,” said Mr. Haulk, the school secretary, “the Sheriff’s calling for you on line two.”

“I’ll take it in your office,” he said, punching the intercom off without waiting for a response.

“Well then, if you’re busy...” Buffy started to excuse herself, thinking that whatever was happening here might be worse than suffering through the last half hour of sixth period after all.

“Sit,” said Snyder, pinning her to a chair with a look. “Stay. I’ll be back. You stink of lies.” He sniffed the air and wrinkled up his face, as much as to say that in this case lies seemed to smell of milky green vomit.


End file.
